Effective Evaluation of Training and Development in Higher Education.

This book examines approaches, techniques, and instruments that relate to the evaluation of training and development in the context of higher education in the United Kingdom (UK), focusing on the importance of identifying the purpose of the evaluation as an initial step. Some financial evaluation methods are also considered. It is suggested that higher education evaluation should link training and development to individual, departmental, and institutional outcomes, and the responsive model of evaluation seeks to identify stakeholders, their information needs, and types of data which can be used for evaluation. The discussion includes examples of evaluation paradigms and specific evaluation categories, using instruments and strategies such as repertory grids and behavior scales; evaluation of organizational effectiveness; the Investors in People Standard, which is linked to business objectives and is popular within UK higher education; learning from the student experiences; evaluation of staff in the context of student performance; and a student-learner-centered experience. Case studies in higher education and in industry illustrate several approaches to evaluating staff training and development. Appended are examples of college evaluation tools, and extracts from a UK task force report on Continuing Professional Development of Staff in Higher Education. Numerous figures and charts summarize and organize concepts and data. (Contains 77 references.) (SW)